Suspect in custody after explosion in trash can outside NYC federal building
NYPD sources said fireworks were found in a garbage can and a man was taken into custody outside the federal building in Lower Manhattan.
Updated on: July 20, 2026 / 10:31 AM EDT / CBS New York
An incendiary device went off outside a federal building in Lower Manhattan Monday morning, and a suspect has been taken into custody, police sources said.
The incident happened outside 26 Federal Plaza, a building that houses dozens of agencies including the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The sound of an explosion had authorities running to the steps leading into the building. They found a man with an airsoft rifle, carbon dioxide cartridges, halogen lighting and a helmet, multiple law enforcement sources said.
Preliminary information indicates fireworks in a garbage can exploded, senior security sources told CBS News. The fire department responded to put out flames, and a man was taken into custody.
According to authorities, the assault was an anti-ICE attack.